Sets
by Muircheartach
Summary: In reality it's only eleven minutes, but within those eleven minutes are hundreds of stories. Stories of the people who created it. *Looking for authors for a collaboration project.*


Sets

Chapter One: Celeste, Woodwind Captain

"_What chance gathers, she easily scatters. A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together."  
__-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe_

_I can't believe that it's already summer. It feels like we were marching off of the field at the state championships not too long ago. I'm excited, and a bit anxious, for this upcoming season. I think it'll be a good one._

_My name is Celeste Van Buren. I'm a junior and I'm the clarinet lieutenant and the woodwind captain of the Greenfield High School Marching Knights. I was asked by one of our drum majors to keep a journal of what happens in the band this year. A couple of other members were asked to contribute as well, to give a good idea of what is happening in the different sections of the band. It'll be interesting to look back after the season to see how everything worked out. We're heading to the regional competition this year and everyone is pretty excited about it. We have a lot of work to do, but it'll be worth it._

_I suppose I should say a bit about how I became a member of the marching band. Unlike most of the other lieutenants and captains, I didn't join the marching band as a freshman. It was kind of an accident that I joined in the first place. I've played tennis for years and I played on the high school tennis team from the time I was a seventh grader until the summer after my freshman year of high school. I intended on playing on the team last fall, but ended up not being able to. At the captain's practices over the summer I started feeling pain in my elbow. It ended up being tendonitis, which meant that I had to stop playing competitively. _

_My brother Cedric suggested that I join the marching band. Cedric had played alto sax and ended up as one of the drum majors for his senior year. I had been to field shows with my parents to watch Cedric perform before, so I had an idea of what our high school marching band did. With Cedric and some of my friends who were in the marching band pestering me, I decided to give it a try. I figured that I had nothing to lose and if I didn't enjoy it, I would just do concert band the next fall like I did when I was a freshman._

_Last year was amazing, and I couldn't imagine not marching again this year. I hadn't intended to apply to be a lieutenant, but after a bit of a push from Mr. Fischer, our band director, I ended up applying for the position. One day after wind ensemble rehearsal he handed me the application. I hadn't thought about it before since it was only my second year, but I filled it out anyways. I participated in the leadership auditions not really expecting to be picked. It was a complete shock to me when I saw my name on the list not only as clarinet lieutenant, but also as woodwind captain._

_While it was a shock to be chosen, I have big plans for my section this year. We've been good in the past, but I know that we can be better. The woodwinds have been a weak link in the band before, and I intend to change that. It'll take a lot of work, but I know that the other lieutenants can help me get the work done._

_I'm meeting with Sarah and Dan later today to get everyone on the same page and to plan some sectionals before rehearsals start. I know that it's going to be a great year and I can't wait to start rehearsals again._

_-Celeste_

* * *

I sat down at a table and checked my phone for any messages. I was meeting with Sarah and Dan, the saxophone and flute lieutenants, at a local coffee shop. I had called them earlier in the week to arrange a meeting. I wanted to meet with both of them to talk about expectations for the season and to go over some details about upcoming rehearsals and sectionals. I had been running a little late, but I didn't see Sarah or Dan. Trying to calm myself down, I pulled out my music binder and got out all of the information that Mr. Fischer had given me. The drum majors and captains had met earlier in the week and I had information that I needed to pass on to my lieutenants. "Is this seat taken?" I looked up to see Dan, the flute section leader, standing next to me with his flute bag hanging over his arm.

"Go ahead and take a seat, Dan," I said, gesturing to one of the chairs. "It's good to see you. How has your summer been so far?"

"Busy," he answered, sitting down. "Sorry that I'm late. My lesson ended up running over." Dan took lessons from the flute teacher at the university not too far from our town. He was the first chair in wind ensemble and had been selected to play in the All-State Orchestra and Youth Symphony Orchestra. Besides being one of the top musicians at our school, Dan was also ranked first in the senior class. From what I had heard, he was planning on attending an Ivy League school after he graduated.

"It's fine. I was a little late myself," I admitted. "Do you know if Sarah was going to be late? I haven't heard from her today."

"She's probably running late," he said. "She's always late to this kind of stuff."

"I'm not that late, rainbow boy," Sarah said, walking up to the table. Like Dan, Sarah was a senior and was first chair alto sax in wind ensemble. She played first alto in jazz band and ran track for Greenfield in the spring. "Besides, I don't think Celeste is going to make me run laps for being late."

"Not today, but I might in the future," I said. "We have to set an example for our sections."

"Look at you, Celeste, commanding the cooperation of your lieutenants," Sarah laughed, sitting down next to Dan. "I like it. Our section needs that, especially the upperclassmen. They need someone to get them in shape."

"Since we're all here now, do you guys want anything?" I asked. "I'll pay since I was the one who suggested it."

"I'll take a cappuccino," Dan said.

"Way to be gay, rainbow boy," Sarah said, smirking.

Dan rolled his eyes. "Playing the flute does not make me homosexual, Sarah. My girlfriend can attest to that fact."

"I'll believe you when you actually tell me who she is, Mr. Secretive. You say you're dating, but I've never met the girl. You could be lying, you know." It was true. Whenever someone brought the subject up, Dan avoided giving any names. No one in the band had ever met her or seen him with anyone, which only created more rumors.

"You'll find out soon enough, Sarah. In fact, you might already know her."

"Do you want anything, Sarah?" I asked, trying to get off the subject.

"Coffee, black," she said. "Actually, make it with two creams. I'm feeling adventurous today."

I went to order our drinks while Dan and Sarah continued to bicker back and forth. The two of them were always arguing. Both of them were seniors and while they were in their first year as section lieutenants like me, they both had been in the band since they were freshman. I knew that both of them had more experience than I did, so I knew that I was going to have to rely on them to help me shape up the woodwinds. They were respected by the upperclassmen in the band, so it was going to take their influence to get the juniors and seniors to listen to me as their captain.

I brought our drinks back to the table and started right into everything we needed to talk about. "As I'm sure you both know, we have some time before full band rehearsals start," I said, sorting out the papers that Mr. Fischer wanted me to give to them. "I'd like to try to have two woodwind rehearsals to look over the music and get some marching basics in. I've talked to some of the staff and they said they would be willing to meet with us at the high school. I plan on having four clarinet sectionals before the first rehearsal to work on music and to get to know the section better. I'm hoping that all of the clarinets can make it to at least two of the sectionals over the summer." I looked at the two of them to make sure they were following me. "I don't expect that you guys will have as many sectionals, but I'd like you to have at least two sectionals in addition to the woodwind rehearsals at the high school. If you need to have me talk to Mr. Fischer to get rehearsal space I can, otherwise I'm willing to host your sectionals at my house if I need to. Does that sound good?"

"When were you thinking of having the woodwind rehearsals?" Dan asked, pulling a notebook and pencil out of his bag.

"I talked to Mr. Fischer and he said we can use the band room and rehearsal field next Tuesday afternoon, from 1-4 pm," I said, double checking my notes on the time. "He was able to get a couple of the visual staff to come around 3, and our new woodwind tech will be there at 2."

"Do you know who the new tech is?" Sarah asked. Our tech from the previous year had gotten a job out of state, meaning that she wasn't able to work with us anymore. Mr. Fischer had found someone else to come and work with us, but he hadn't mentioned anything about them.

"Mr. Fischer hasn't said anything about who they are, so I guess we'll find out on Tuesday," I answered.

"Did you want us to contact our sections about the rehearsal?" Dan asked.

"I was planning on sending out an email this afternoon to everyone telling them the basics, but if you could both call your sections to remind them about it next Monday, I think that would help." I pulled out the contact information lists and handed it to them. "Here's the information that Mr. Fischer gave me. It should have everyone's phone numbers and emails on there so you can let everyone know about sectionals and such."

They both spent some time looking over the lists. After scanning the pages, Dan looked up at me and asked, "Do you know when we'll be receiving part assignments? Some of the vets have been wondering when to expect music."

"We actually have the music for the first two movements of the show," I said, handing each of them a packet of music. "I typed up a list for each of you of who should be given which parts. Mr. Fischer also wanted me to tell you that part assignments might be changed after the first rehearsal, since he didn't have the chance to listen to some of the freshman."

Dan looked at the list I had given him. "You certainly are organized, Celeste," he said. "None of the other recent woodwind captains have been this organized."

"I want to make an impression on the members," I told him. "We've let things slip a bit too much in the past. We need to be more disciplined and have higher expectations if we want to do well this year."

"I hope you don't pull a Pete on us," Sarah said, talking about last year's drum line captain, who had been known for being incredibly strict with his section. We were lucky that he had graduated; otherwise we would have been down several percussionists. "I don't think the upperclassmen could handle that much of a change."

"While I admire the dedication that the drum line has, I know that the woodwinds wouldn't be able to handle it," I said, looking down into my cup of tea. I had thought a lot about my role as woodwind captain over the past few weeks and about what it meant to the section. I wanted to push them to do their best, but I knew that if I pushed them too hard they would hate me for it. I needed to find a balance that would work for everyone. "It works for them, but it doesn't work for us. I don't plan on pushing everyone that hard; I think that if we set up some rules and expectations, the sections will pull everything together perfectly fine."

Sarah pulled her head back and started laughing. "I knew Fischer made a good choice when he picked you," she said between laughs. "You're exactly what this section needs to pull themselves together for the regional this year. With you in charge, I think we can do it."

After finalizing all the details for the woodwind rehearsal, I headed home to write out my email to everyone. I drafted it out about twenty times before I finally ended up with a version that I liked. I felt that it said what I wanted to say without seeming too harsh or demanding of the section. Just to be sure, I reread it again to make sure it included everything I wanted to say.

_Welcome to the woodwind section of the Greenfield High School Marching Knights. My name is Celeste Van Buren and I will be the woodwind captain and clarinet lieutenant for the upcoming season. Since we don't have any full ensemble rehearsals until later this summer, the other woodwind lieutenants and I will be arranging sectionals and woodwind rehearsals in the upcoming weeks. The first of these rehearsals will be at the high school next Tuesday afternoon from 1-4 pm. While these rehearsals are not mandatory, I would highly encourage you to attend. The work that we put in over these next few weeks will make sure that we are prepared for rehearsals with the rest of the band. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I hope to see all of you next Tuesday!_

I signed my name and listed my phone number and email address. After checking to make sure all of the names were on the list, I hit send. I was anxious for the first rehearsal, but I knew that everything would go alright. All I needed to do was make sure that I was ready for everything that would come my way.

* * *

_AN: This idea has been running around in my head for quite some time and while I would like to finish the story-lines that I've been working on, I've found it difficult to let this one go. One thing about this that is different from other things I've been working on is that **I'm opening this up for collaboration**. ** I'd like to work on this with other authors in the community**. I feel that there are some very talented authors posting on this site and I'd like to create this story with some of them. If anyone is interested in creating and writing a character, please let me know by messaging me. I would also love to use reader comments as a part of my writing, so if you have any comments, questions, or ideas, please send those in as well._

_-Muircheartach_


End file.
